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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. MEYER.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 581,125. 1 Patented Apr. 20, 1897.

NORRIS PETERS 0a., Puma-U110" vusmusmm n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2L J.MEYER. I GAR COUPLING. No. 581,125. vPatented Apr. 20,1897.

Nrrn rArss I ATENT FFICE.

JULIUS MEYER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'Patent No. 581,125, dated April20, 1897. Application filed December 8, 1896- Serial N0. 614,869. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be a known that I, JULIUS .MEYER, a Gin-i zen of the United States,residing in the city,

county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a 537,527,549,566, and 563,166, dated, respec-,

tively, April 16, 1895, November 12, 1895, and June 30, 1896. v

Various objections were made against the Grady and McMillan coupler, themain 0bjection being that the pull or push on the coupler is exerted onthe draw-head at one side of the center line of the same. The effectthereof is eccentric wear of the knuckles and uneven wear of the flangesof the two wheels on the car-axles,inasm uch as the flange of one wheelis drawn against the rail-head and the flange of the other wheel awayfrom it. Another objection is that the knuckle pulls on the knuckle-pinand the latter on the lugs, which are the weakest part of the drawhead.Another objection is that the knuckle when in closed position is notpositively locked, but will pull out of the draw-head if the lugsbreak." Furthermore, the lever lifting the lock-block acts on the sameeccentrically, so that the block is liable to tilt and get stuck;further, that unless the couplers are made rights and lefts, as far assaid levers are concerned, the interlocked couplers will have theirlevers located on opposite sides of the cars, so that the brakeman willhave to pass from one side of the train to the other to reach theother'lever, which it is necessary for him to do when in couplingwithout stepping in between the cars he Wants to reopen both knuckles,they having been jarred into their closed position. A further objectionconsists in the location of the guide-pin of the lock-block in thecenter line of the coupler, whereby the putting inof the tail-bolt,which forms in many cars a necessary part of the draft-rigging, isprevented, While shocks on the lock-block come directly on said pin andare liable to bend it, rendering thereby the lock-block inoperative.

My invention is intended to obviate the ob-.

the knuckle transfers the pulling and buffing strains imparted to it tothe body of the drawhead direct; third, that the knuckle is lockedpositively in its closed position; fourth, that a lock is provided bywhich the pull or push on the closed knuckle is transferred also to theother side of the draw-head direct, so that uneven wear is done awaywith; fifth, that the guide-pin of the lock-block is kept free fromstrains; sixth, that the knuckle having been opened may be held open atwill; seventh, that a pull on a single rod will accomplish tworesultsviz. ,first,the unlocking and opening of the knuckle, and,secondly, the reopening of the same should it have been closed by jars.

My invention consists, therefore, of a carcoupling the draw-head ofwhich is provided with a cavity, a V-shaped knuckle pivoted to aknuckle-pin at one side of said cavity, a lock-block within said cavity,a guide-pin for said lock-block, means for interlocking the knuckle withsaid lock-block, means for interlocking both with the draw-head, meansfor raising the lock-block above its locking position, means for holdingthe lock-block in its raised position, and means for swinging theknuckle into open position.

The invention consists, further, of certain details of construction bywhich a longitudinal play is imparted to the knuckle and lockblock wheninterlocked, as will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointedout in line 3 3, Fig. 1, showing the parts of the coupling in rearelevation. Fig. -tis a like section 011 line i- -l:, Fig. 2, and Fig. 5is a detail side elevation of the knuckle, showing the lock block raisedready to drop and to interlock with the knuckle and the draw-head.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the drawhead of my improvedcarcoupling, which is attached in any approved manner to the frameworkof the car. provided with top and bottom projecting lugs a, each ofwhich has a pin-hole of the size of the pivot-pin Z) of the knuckle. Thedrawhead is furthermore provided with an interior cavity d. In saidcavity, on the same side of the draw-head with said lugs, are arrangedon the top and bottom of the draw-head areshaped ribs 1 concentricallywith the pivotpin of the knuckle, which engage corresponding recesses gin the top and bottom portions of the knuckle B. In said cavity on theopposite side are arranged low vertical ribsff, which engage alock-block F when the same has been raised and swung open. The knuckle13 is provided with a slotted openingb for the knuckle-pin b. "nolongitudinal axis of the slot in the knuckle is parallel with thelongidinal center line of the draw-head when the knuckle B is in itsclosed position. The longitudinal movement of the closed knuckle I islimited by the arc-shaped ribs 9 and the somewhat wider arc-shapedrecesses gin the top and bottom of the knuckle. The slot in the knuckle13 is longer than the width ofsaid recesses g.

The V-shapcd knuckle is provided on its tail end 13 with a pin W, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The front end ofthe knuckle B has the ordinary standard shape and is provided with ahole for permitting the coupling with the ordinary link and pin. Thebody of the knuckle between the front end and tail end is provided atits outer face with one or more ribs 2, which lit into correspondingcorrugations '2" in the adjacent face of the lock-block F. The upperends of the ribs 1' are made eonically tapering, said cones guiding thelock-block into its proper place when it drops, so that its corrugationsengage with the ribs of the knuckle. The height of the ribs 7 is lessthan the height of the lock-block. The raised lock-block finds a smoothface on the knuckle, allowing both to slide upon and along each other.

The lock-block F is located in the cavity (Z of the draw-head and is ofsomewhat less than half the height of the same. It is provided at itsrear side, opposite to the face with emrugations, with a nose m, which,when the lock-block is in its lower position, enters between thevertical ribs f, which limit the longitudinal play of the lock-block andlock it to the draw-head, thereby indirectly providing a second lock ofthe knuckle with the draw-head. The longitudinal play of nose at Thedraw-head is between the ribs f is equal. to the longitudinal play ofthe arc-shaped ribs 1 of the drawhead in the grooves g of the knuckle,both, however, being less than the play of the knuckle and lock-block ontheir respective pins. The lock-block is engaged frombelow by a curvedlever F, which is bent at a right angle at its inner end, the bent endextending toward the center of gravity of the lockblock, whereby thetilting of the latter in lifting and its consequent resistance againstit are obviated. The tapering end of the lock block, that extendslaterally into the cavity of the draw-head and around the tail end ofthe knuckle, is provided with an elongated slot, through which thelock-block is pivoted on a stationary guide-pin 1, which is located atone side of the longitudinal center line of the draw-head. The rear partof the bottom of the draw-head is concavely depressed at A,corresponding to the shape of the said lever F, for which it forms arecess to drop into when in its lower position, as shown in Fig. 3.

The lever F is fulcru med by laterally-extending fulcrum-pins intorecessed lugs 7" at the lower corner of the d raw-head A, its upperslotted end being connected with apivotpin of an angular pull-rod Fwhich latter extends through an opening in the side of the draw-l 2ad tothe outside of the same, and there is connected either with a fulcrumedlever that is operated from the platform of a passenger-car or by anextension of the pullrod operated. by hand from the side of the car orby a rope or chain from the top of the car in case the coupling is usedfor freight-cars. In the latter case a weighted and slotted lever ispreferably connected with the outer end of pull-rod F shown in Fig. 4-,so that the lifting-lever F does not require to be pushed down by theweight of the loekbloek, but is forced down into its recess by theimpact of the weight on the rod.

In place of the weight the rectangularlybent inner end of lever F may beweighted, so that it is heavier than the balance of the lever plus theouter part of the pull-rod and consequently will pull the lever F downinto its recess. The other or inward end of pullrod is bent twice atright angles and ends in a slotted head which engages a pin f" on theshorter arm of a horizontal lever F, fulerumed on a vertical pin f whichis located between the ribsfof the draw-head, or it may be fulcrumed onthe guide-pin of the lockblock. The longer arm of the lever F engagesthe pin b on the tail end of the knuckle 13, which latter is recessed atits upper portion to allow the free movementof said longer arm and forthe same purpose has the areshaped depression both of which are clearlyshown in Figs. 1 and 2. By pulling on the outward end of pull-rod F theliftinglever F is turned on its fulcrum and thereby lifts the lock-blockclear of the ribsf and the ribs 9. At this juncture the slotted head ofpullrod F engages the horizontal lever F By continuing to pull on theoutward end of the pull-rod F the longer arm of the horizontal lever Fengages the pin on the tail end of the knuckle and swings the knuckleopen, thereby also swinging the lock-block around its guide-pin into theposition shown in Fig. 2. YVhen the lever F is now allowed to returninto its recess, the lock-block will drop upon the ribs ff and will beheld by them in raised position, as shown in Fig. 2. When coupling, thelevers having been returned to their initial positions, (shown in Figs.1 and 3,) the two front ends of the open knuckles will pass each other,each striking against the body of the-other knuckle and thereby swingingit around the pivot-pinb into its closed position. In so doing thecurved tail end of the knuckle engages the inner curved face of thelock-block and swings the latter around its guide-pin into the positionshown in Fig. 5, whereupon the lock-block drops by gravity, interlockingat one side by its corrugations with the ribs on the body of the knuckleand at its opposite side by its nose on with the ribs f on the bottom ofthe draw-head. The displacement forward or backward of the lock-blockrelative to the knuckle on account of the play allowed around the pivotand guide pins is compensated by the conical heads of the knuckle-ribs,which shift the dropping lock-block into its proper position.

By providing the knuckle and the lockblock with an elongated slot,whichwhen the knuckle is in closed position are in a position parallel withthe center line of the drawhead, a certain longitudinal motion isallowed to the knuckle, which forms a point of superiority over thecouplers of this type as heretofore constructed, inasmuch as itreintroduces the good feature of the old link-andpin couplingnamely,that the locomotive in setting a freight-train in motion does not pullthe entire train at once, but takes its load gradually, taking up onecar after another. No strain is exerted on the knuckle-pin when thedraft is applied to the coupling, but the strain is imparted by theinterlocked knuckle and lock-block in the center line of the drawhead.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A draw-head, having forwardly-extending top andbottom lugs at one side of the same, an interior cavity, arc-shaped ribson the top and bottom of the draw-head within said cavity on the lugside, and vertical ribs of less than one-half of the height of the saidcavity on the other side within said cavity at the bottom of thedraw-head, said side ribs forming a vertical slot between them,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a draw-head having forwardly-extending top andbottom lugs at one side of the draw-head, an interior cavity andseparated vertical side ribs on the other side of and at the bottom ofsaid cavity of less than one-half of the height of said cavity, of aV-shaped knuckle pivoted to the said top and bottom lugs, and alock-block adapted to interlock with said vertical side ribs or to beraised above and clear of the same, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a draw-head havin g forwardly-extendin g topand bottom lugs at one side of said draw-head, an interior cavity,separated vertical ribs on the other side of the same, said ribs beingof less than onehalf of the height of said cavity, and arcshaped ribs onthe top and bottom of the drawhead on the lug side of the same, of aV-shaped knuckle pivoted to said top and bottom lugs, said knucklehaving arc-shaped grooves engaging the arc-shaped ribs of the draw-head,and a lock-block adapted to engage said vertical side ribs or to beraised above and clear of the same, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a draw-head having forwardly-extending top andbottom lugs at one side of the same, an interior cavity and verticalside ribs at the opposite side of the draw-head of less than one-half ofthe height of said cavity, of a V-shaped knuckle pivoted to the said topand bottom lugs and adapted to interlock with the draw-head, alock-block adapted to interlock with said vertical side ribs or beraised above and clear of the same, and a weighted lever adapted toraise the lock-block above said side ribs and be return ed by gravityinto its position of rest, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a draw-head, having an interior cavity andlocking-ribs at one side of the same, a V-shaped knuckle pivoted to theopposite side of the draw-head, a lock-block having alaterally-extending nose adapted to enter between said locking-ribs, andmeans for raising the lock-block above and clear of said ribs,substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with a draw-head provided with an interior cavityand forwardlyextending top and bottom lugs, of a knucklepin connectingsaid lugs, a V-shaped knuckle pivoted to said pin and provided with anelongated pin-hole, a lock-block pivoted in said draw-head and having anelongated pinhole, and means for interlocking the knuckle andlock-block, said knuckle and lock-block being longitudinally movable inthe drawhead when interlocked with each other, but each pivotallymovable on its pivot-pin when disconnected from each other,substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of a draw-head having an interior cavity and aknuckle-pin at one side of the same, a V-shaped knuckle pivoted to saidknuckle-pin, and provided with an elongated pin-hole, a lock-blockhaving an elongated pin-hole, a guide-pin for said lockblock, means forlocking the lock-block in its lower position in the draw-head, and meansfor interlocking the lock-block with the knuckle and the knuckle withthe draw-head so as to produce the interlocking of these partssimultaneously with the draw-head and with each other and permit thejoint longitudinal play of the knuckle and lock-block, substantially asset forth;

8. The combination of a draw-head having an interior cavity and aknuckle-pin at one side of the same, a V-shaped knuckle pivoted to saidknuckle-pin and provided with ribs on its body, a vertically-movablelock-block and means for locking said block in its lower position in thedraw-head, said lock-block being provided with corrugations interlockingwith the ribs on the body of the knuckle, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with a draw-head having an interior cavity andlocking-ribs atone side of the same, of a V-shaped knuckle pivoted tothe opposite side of said draw-head, a lock-block having alaterally-extending nose engaging said ribs, a guide-pin for said lockblock, means for interlocking the knuckle and lock-block, means forlifting the lock-block clear of its lockin g means, and means forswinging the knuckle in open position, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with a draw-head having an interior cavity andlocking-ribs at one side of same, of a V-shaped knuckle pivoted to theopposite side of said draw-head and provided with a curved tail end, alock-block having a laterally-extending nose for engaging said ribs, aguide-pin forsaid lock-block, means for raising the lock-block abovesaid locking means so as to permit the swinging of the knuckle, meansfor supporting the lock-block in its raised position, and means formoving the knuckle into open position, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination of a draw-head having an interior cavity, of aV-shaped knuckle pivoted to one side of said draw-head, a lockblock alsopivoted to the draw-head back of the knuckle, means for locking thelock-block in its lower position, a fulcrum ed liftin g-lever below thelock-block adapted for raising the same above said locking means, afulcrumed knuckle-opening lever above the lock-block and a pull-rodengaging the lifting and the knuckle-opening lex ers, substantially asset forth.

12. The combination of a draw-head having an interior cavity, a V'shapedknuckle pivoted to one side of said draw-head and provided with a curvedtail end, a lock-block provided with a curved portion engaging said tailend, a guide-pin for said lock-block, means for locking the lock-blockin lower position, a fulcrumed lifting-lever below said lockblock, a fulcrumed lever above the lock-block for opening the knuckle, and apull-rod connecting both the lifting and knuckle-opening levers by whichthe raising of the lock-block and the opening of the knuckle areproduced, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination of a draw-head having a V-shaped knuckle pivoted tojaws at one side of said draw-head, said knuckle being provided with acurved tail end recessed at its upper end, a pin on said tail end, alockbloek pivoted to said draw-head and provided with a curved portionengaging the tail end of the knuckle, means for locking the lockblock inits lower position, a fulcrumed liftin g-lever below the lock-block forraising the same, a fulcrumed knuckleopening lever above the lock-blockadapted to engage the pin on the tail end of the knuckle, and an angularpull-rod connected with the liftinglever and the knuckle-opening leverby which the raising of the lock-block above its lockin g means, theopening of the knuckle and simultaneously the swinging of the lock-blockclear of the knuckle are produced, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JULIUS MEYER.

\Vitnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, GEO. W. JAEKEL.

